Mark, I don't want to be rude, truly, but there are better forms of that species around.
I'd send you some seed but I grow only the white tectorum and it only sets seed in some years because typically we get three days of rain right at the wrong time, pollen-wise. But someone should have seed of a better blue form, probably one of the Chinese ones, and as Ihave said ad nauseum in one or another mailing list, it is the easiest of all to get going, Soak the seed a few days, then sow on the surface of some moist material, give warmth and light, and WALA, i about ten days, up they come.
I've got the first blooms open on white cristata today. Only in some years do the evansias bloom together. More often the cristata blooms iwth my convallaria collection, as now. I've also got some early purple pogon IB in bloom, too. I'm not sure which and, as usual, don't have time to try to sort it out right now. Just finished an article and need to get into the garden to deal with a week's weeds and aphids and to beat the Clematis armandii into submission.
I was sorry to hear about Christy. I think the obit written by her man is the one to republish, unless someone here who knew her would care to write a remembrance, speaking to her work with irises. It's odd; I was thinking about her the other day when I saw that "Illumination" vinca at the garden center. The one with the strong yellow variegation. I understand that was one of her introductions.
Cordially.
AMW
-----Original Message-----
From: Mark A. Cook <bigalligator@bellsouth.net>
To: NaturesImages <NaturesImages@yahoogroups.com>; Lynn Barbian <lbarbian43@sbcglobal.net>; Mak Porter <mak.porter@sbcglobal.net>
Sent: Thu, Apr 25, 2013 10:06 pm
Subject: [iris-species] Iris tectorum
Here are four looks at the species Iris tectorum blooming today.
Mark A. Cook
b*@bellsouth.net
Dunnellon, Florida.
